


The Past is Never Far

by hippiefairy



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen, Not AU yet, Oh, and a warning for the sucky blossom parents too, i haven't wrote anything in a while, i'm rusty and this probably sucks, i'm sure it will be after ep 6, may be a hint of jarchie in this, pop tate is a good guy, so is archie's dad, these kids need HELP, warning for general grundyness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:51:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10019609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hippiefairy/pseuds/hippiefairy
Summary: Pop Tate worries about the kids. And Cheryl and Jughead become besties... um, sort of.Also, Archie needs therapy and Fred feels like a terrible dad.





	

**Author's Note:**

> :shrugs: I just really wanted to write Pop Tate, I don't even know why.

To put it bluntly, Pop Tate had seen a lot of shit in his life, most of it involving the kids that came into his diner. He’d opened the diner with his father back before the current kids’ parents were even twinkles in  _ their _ parent’s eyes. It had taken him a few years, but eventually he’d developed a good sense of when a kid needed some extra food on their plate, when they needed to be able to stay past closing, when they could use to earn a few extra dollars by sweeping the floor for him. He’d seen a lot of kids come and go, but there were some generations that were particularly special to him, usually the ones that needed him more, like this one. It was sad how many of them felt more at home in his diner than they did in their actual home. He did what he could and shook his head over how the “perfect” town of Riverdale couldn’t even take care of it’s own kids. 

 

* * *

 

 

The diner was practically empty, would’ve been if Archie Andrews hadn’t been sitting in a booth by himself. Pop Tate frowned thoughtfully, this was a kid that most would think was doing alright. Good father, decent grades, rising star on the football team, worked hard at everything he did. To any outsider it would look like Archie Andrews was in a good place and had a great shot at doing more with his life. Pop Tate wasn’t so sure, he knew that something had to have happened to the kid, he wasn’t the high spirited boy that Pop Tate had watched grow up. No, Archie had grown quieter and quieter over the summer, and now, he seemed almost depressed… and maybe a little lost. 

Perhaps a free milkshake would cheer him up some? Pop Tate nodded to himself, yes, it couldn’t hurt anyway. He had just finished pouring the creamy treat into a tall glass when the door opened and then closed, and he looked up to see the familiar sight of Jughead Jones joining Archie in his booth… well, not so familiar anymore. Nowadays Jughead usually sat by himself, even now it looked like he and the red haired boy were arguing instead of joking around like they used to.

“Another one then” Pop Tate whispered to himself, he couldn’t very well give Archie a free milkshake and not give the homeless kid one. Oh yes, he knew Jughead was homeless, just about killed him when he figured it out. If the the kid wasn’t so damn stubborn Pop Tate would just give him free food all the time. But, if the kid wasn’t so stubborn he wouldn’t be out on the streets. Pop Tate would just about guarantee that Fred Andrews would take the boy in if he knew. 

Pop Tate placed the milkshakes on the tray and added a basket of fries as he snuck another look at the table. Jughead was looking worryingly thin. Not to mention cold and tired. How could Archie not see it? Was he really so wrapped up in his own problems? Pop Tate wondered, what about Jughead’s other friends? Betty Cooper had a good head on her shoulders, so did Kevin Keller… well, sometimes, Pop Tate amended as he remembered seeing Kevin hanging out with that one kid over in the not so good part of town. The kid was a Serpent if Pop Tate wasn’t mistaken, and he seldom was, he hoped that didn’t blow up in Kevin’s face.

He lifted the tray and shook the thoughts from his head, obviously if no one else was going to pay attention, he’d just have to do something about it. Was probably past time to have a talk with Fred.

“Uh, we didn’t order that” Archie said confusedly when Pop Tate placed the food on the table.

“A treat for two of my best customers… or you can call it a bribe” Pop Tate answered “it’s dead in here tonight and my old bones are tired, so if you boys will lock up when you leave I’ll just go on home after I clean up a bit”.

The old man didn’t miss how Jughead perked up just the slightest at that, he was willing to bet the kid would just stay all night. ‘Good’ he thought, better than him sleeping outside somewhere.

“Just put the dishes over on the counter before you leave” he said after they’d agreed to lock the door. He bustled off amidst their thanks and stood for a second in the kitchen, he was out of sight of them and he allowed himself a shake of the head as a mix of anger and sorrow swelled in him. What was it with this town? Things were the worst he’d ever seen them. He could count on his fingers how many kids were really alright. At least he knew that the two sitting in his diner were as alright as they could be tonight. He hoped the others were too.

 

* * *

 

 

Cheryl Blossom was a damn good example of a kid that deserved better. Pop Tate had seriously wondered a few times what would happen if he actually saw her parents somewhere, he wasn’t a violent man but if any two people deserved a good punch or three… he shook the thoughts off and took the redhead her milkshake. It was actually far too early for him to be open but, once again, one of his kids needed refuge. He wasn’t going to turn someone away just because he wasn’t open yet. He sat down across from Cheryl and waited patiently.

“Thanks Pop” she whispered, keeping her eyes on the glass.

“Which one was it this time?” he asked her gently.

“Both” she answered “they were blaming me again for happened to Jason” she sniffled and tried to surreptitiously wipe her eyes, she had steadfastly refused to cry in front of Pop Tate, except for the horrible night after her twin’s body had been found and he’d been the only one to even try to comfort her.

“It’s not your fault” Pop Tate told her as a hot rush of anger flooded through him, what kind of monster would tell their child something like that? She already seemed so close to breaking. Whatever he might of thought of her twin, he knew Jason had been her rock, and now who did she even have? Maybe that new girl, Hermione’s girl, Pop Tate hoped so. Hermione had always had good sense when she’d been younger, perhaps if her daughter took after her, Cheryl might have a chance… at least as much of a chance as any Blossom ever had in Riverdale. 

“I should’ve been there for him” she disagreed “or I shouldn’t have helped him in the first place, I just never could say no to him, and he swore it was important”.

“It isn’t your fault” Pop Tate said firmly “and you can’t dwell on the what ifs, they’ll drive you crazy and Jason wouldn’t want that”.

He stood up then, knowing that she needed time alone to think.

“You know you can stay as long as you need” he told her, patting her hand and returning to his own refuge in the kitchen. There wasn’t much else he could for Cheryl, her parents too rich and influential for anyone to want to mess with them… although, a not so friendly reminder of a certain event to her father might help. He added that phone call to his mental list and decided it was as good a time as any to call Fred Andrews.


End file.
